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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wax — to grow
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fall — to drop
  8. net — in sport
  9. fall — the season
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fall — to drop
  12. object — a thing
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. drill — army training
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. drill — the tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. object — an aim

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