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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — in golf
  5. club — a group
  6. dip — to sink
  7. swing — music
  8. wax — to grow
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. club — for golf
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — happening now
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. club — for dancing
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mark — a trace
  19. current — electric
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lean — thin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. current — of water

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