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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wax — to grow
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. spell — a short time
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. club — for dancing
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. spell — letters
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bass — low music
  18. club — a group
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. club — for golf
  21. dip — to sink
  22. branch — a division
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. lie — to recline

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