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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. kick — in football
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stock — shares
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. stock — goods
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wound — an injury
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rock — music
  15. wax — to grow
  16. rock — a stone
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kick — with a leg

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