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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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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: deal · pound · rule · bowl · rock · object · wax · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rule — a law
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. object — a thing
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. object — to protest
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. pound — a weight
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wax — to grow
  20. rule — government
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. object — an aim

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