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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. staff — a stick
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. key — in music
  11. staff — employees
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. key — for a lock
  14. staff — employees
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. kick — in football
  19. row — a line
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — for sculpting

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