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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. can — a tin
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fork — in a road
  21. cell — in biology
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. calf — a young animal

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