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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · bass · rock · suit · wax · ground · pound · hide

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mate — to breed
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bass — low music
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — music
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ground — a position
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. wax — to grow
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — in cards

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