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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bass — the fish
  12. tear — to rip
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. shower — rain
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. shower — to wash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bass — low music
  24. tear — from crying

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