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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 120 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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rash — a series
  6. charge — electricity
  7. court — of a king
  8. rash — hasty
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. court — of law
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. court — for sport
  16. charge — a price
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lean — thin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. charge — in control

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