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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tear — to rip
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. key — in music
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wax — to grow
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pass — a permit

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