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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — the earth
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. ground — a position
  16. bark — to shout
  17. object — a thing
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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