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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wax — to grow
  4. content — the amount
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. current — electric
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bear — the animal
  15. drill — army training
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. content — happy
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. current — happening now
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. current — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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