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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. squash — the sport
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — a tin
  13. wax — to grow
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. net — for catching
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. club — for golf
  18. net — after costs
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — to be able to
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — of the leg

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