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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rash — hasty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rash — a series
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wax — to grow
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mark — a trace

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