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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pop — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pop — to visit
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rash — a series
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rule — a law
  15. row — to paddle
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rule — government
  24. pop — soda

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