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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. tear — from crying
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — to grow
  9. tear — to rip
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chair — a leader
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. perch — the fish
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. tear — from crying

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