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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 moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. chest — a box
  5. present — a gift
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. suit — in cards
  8. present — there
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. chest — of your body
  11. present — the time now
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. staff — a stick
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. staff — employees
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. suit — clothes
  22. staff — employees
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wax — in the ear

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