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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rock — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. swing — music
  7. wax — to grow
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rock — a stone
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. shower — rain
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. foot — a measure

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