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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chest — a box
  3. track — a song
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — to grow
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. track — a path
  10. bank — for money
  11. mark — a trace
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cap — of ice
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mate — a partner
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mate — to breed
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bank — for money
  21. cap — a lid
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cap — a hat

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