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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 124 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. object — an aim
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mug — a cup
  8. object — a thing
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. cap — a lid
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. kick — in football
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. mug — a face
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cap — of ice
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. object — to protest

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