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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. firm — steady
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rule — a law
  5. firm — a company
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. firm — decided
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wax — to grow
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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