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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. firm — decided
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. charge — in control
  7. firm — steady
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. shower — rain
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. shower — to wash
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. charge — a price
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. wax — to grow
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. firm — a company
  23. dip — to sink
  24. charge — electricity

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