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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. firm — a company
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. shower — to wash
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. shower — rain
  17. stock — goods
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stock — shares
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. firm — steady
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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