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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wax — to grow
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. swing — to play on
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. swing — music
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — to handle
  24. plane — in geometry

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