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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. tear — from crying
  3. swing — to play on
  4. tear — to rip
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. swing — in golf
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. plane — a tool
  18. swing — music
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mate — a partner
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com