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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mate — to breed
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. mate — a friend
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wax — to grow
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mug — a face
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fine — all right
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fine — high quality
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. ruler — for measuring

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