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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wax — to grow
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bound — tied together
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rock — music
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bound — certain
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. kick — in football
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. rock — to move gently

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