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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wax — to grow
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mug — a face
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bulb — for light
  16. band — a ring
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. band — a music group
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ruler — a monarch

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