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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bound — tied together
  6. club — for golf
  7. bound — obliged
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — certain
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. club — a group
  17. current — happening now
  18. club — for dancing
  19. current — of water
  20. cap — a lid
  21. current — electric
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. calf — of the leg

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