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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — an aim
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stock — shares
  16. spell — magic
  17. lean — thin
  18. object — to protest
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stock — goods
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stock — a soup base

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