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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. can — a tin
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. wax — to grow
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wake — a trail
  11. game — a match
  12. can — to be able to
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — wild animals
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. can — a tin
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. tube — a container
  24. vault — a safe

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