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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · root · jam · wax · pound · wound · rush · mark

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pound — a weight
  3. wax — to grow
  4. root — of a word
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. root — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wound — an injury
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — a grade
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. root — the cause

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