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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 124 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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. toast — bread
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. kick — in football
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cap — of ice
  10. object — to protest
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cap — a hat
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bank — of a river
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — a thing
  20. pound — a weight
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — an aim

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