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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mug — a face
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bear — the animal
  5. club — for golf
  6. chair — a leader
  7. club — for dancing
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — a match
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mug — a cup
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. club — a group
  23. game — wild animals
  24. wax — in the ear

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