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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. field — for sport
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. object — an aim
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. field — farmland
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. object — to protest
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wax — to grow
  20. capital — a city
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cue — a signal
  23. object — a thing
  24. field — a subject

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