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

Word bank: hide · wax · court · pit · ball · pound · squash · snap

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. court — of a king
  6. squash — to crush
  7. court — of law
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wax — to grow
  13. ball — a great time
  14. squash — the sport
  15. snap — to click
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pit — a hole
  22. court — for sport
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. hide — animal skin

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