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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. dip — to sink
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wax — to grow
  6. face — to point toward
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. face — part of the head
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. face — to confront
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. date — the fruit
  23. straw — dry grass
  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