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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: spell · pound · wax · sharp · bear · pop · mouse · rock

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pop — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rock — a stone
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. spell — magic
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rock — music
  24. bear — to put up with

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