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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rock — music
  7. face — to confront
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to point toward
  12. club — for golf
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wax — to grow
  20. club — a group
  21. key — in music
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. face — part of the head

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