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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. staff — employees
  3. wax — to grow
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — in control
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. charge — a price
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. perch — for a bird

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