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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. march — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. charge — a price
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. calf — of the leg

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