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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. toast — bread
  3. wax — to grow
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. chair — a leader
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lean — thin
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. roll — a list
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. calf — a young animal

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