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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — electric
  5. lie — to recline
  6. current — happening now
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bulb — for light
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — a container
  11. current — of water
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stand — to bear
  15. perch — the fish
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bulb — for light

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