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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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. suit — clothes
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. race — a contest
  10. branch — a division
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — the arms race
  17. wax — to grow
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. race — humankind

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