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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fall — the season
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wax — to grow
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. saw — the tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. band — a music group
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. spell — letters
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. swing — music
  22. spell — magic
  23. band — a ring
  24. wax — for sculpting

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