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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wax — to grow
  4. firm — a company
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. row — a line
  7. rock — music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. firm — decided
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. firm — steady
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. suit — in cards
  19. row — to paddle
  20. suit — to fit
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. leaves — to go away

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