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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: net · nail · rule · perch · pound · content · cap · wax

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cap — of ice
  3. net — after costs
  4. rule — a law
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. net — for catching
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cap — a hat
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. perch — the fish
  13. net — in sport
  14. wax — to grow
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. content — the amount
  20. rule — government
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. content — happy
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rule — to rule out

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