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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wind — moving air
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. board — to get on
  16. fall — the season
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fall — to drop
  19. charge — in control
  20. wind — moving air
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. sharp — exactly

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