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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. band — a music group
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. band — a ring
  12. mark — a grade
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. kick — in football

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