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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fall — the season
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. pop — music
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. content — happy
  20. pop — soda
  21. wake — a trail
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. content — the amount
  24. mug — a cup

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