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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cap — a lid
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wax — to grow
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cap — of ice
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. row — a line
  20. kick — in football
  21. suit — to fit
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mug — a face

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