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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wax — to grow
  5. fine — high quality
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kick — in football
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — all right
  24. cabinet — ministers

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