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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. tear — from crying
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rash — a series
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. rash — hasty
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. tear — to rip
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wax — for sculpting

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