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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: pound · plane · deal · spell · wax · mate · cabinet · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wax — to grow
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. spell — letters
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. spell — a short time
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. spell — magic
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — a friend
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rush — hurry

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