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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wax — to grow
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rock — music
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. content — happy
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mate — to breed
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. content — the amount
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bulb — for light
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. foot — the bottom

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