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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: squash · wax · wave · craft · bear · bowl · wound · pound

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wax — to grow
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pound — a weight
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wound — an injury

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