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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. net — in sport
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wax — to grow
  8. row — to paddle
  9. sharp — clever
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. mug — to rob
  15. net — for catching
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. row — a line
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. net — after costs
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. sharp — with an edge

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