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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. tube — a container
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. rule — a law
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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