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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. present — there
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lean — thin
  6. wax — to grow
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. wound — an injury
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. present — the time now
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. tube — a container
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. present — a gift
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lean — to bend

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