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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. wax — to grow
  3. land — a country
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rock — a stone
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. land — ground
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. kick — in football
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rock — music

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