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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pit — a hole
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. cue — a signal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mine — for digging

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