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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pop — soda
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pop — music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bound — obliged
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wax — to grow
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bound — certain
  16. rash — a series
  17. bound — tied together
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rash — hasty
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. calf — a young animal

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