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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 · season · nail · wax · foot · lash · pit · charge

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. season — of the year
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wax — to grow
  6. charge — a price
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pit — in a race
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pit — a hole
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. season — in sport
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. charge — in control
  24. pound — a weight

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