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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. club — a group
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. pitch — completely
  8. face — to point toward
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. kick — in football
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. club — for golf
  21. saw — the tool
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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