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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wax — to grow
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. capital — a city
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chip — for betting
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. rash — a series
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fork — in a road
  22. rash — hasty
  23. capital — money
  24. nail — for a hammer

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