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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cue — a signal
  3. charge — in control
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. drill — the tool
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wax — to grow
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pound — a weight
  14. firm — steady
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. cue — a hint
  17. drill — a practice
  18. firm — decided
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. firm — a company
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. drill — army training
  23. cue — for pool
  24. charge — a price

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