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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. key — for a lock
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wax — to grow
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bear — the animal
  23. key — in music
  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