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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. object — an aim
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cold — not warm
  5. wax — to grow
  6. object — a thing
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cold — an illness
  21. bear — the animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mug — a face
  24. bear — to put up with

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