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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kick — in football
  3. firm — a company
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. clip — for paper
  7. ball — a great time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — decided
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ball — a dance
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bulb — for light
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. firm — steady
  19. bulb — for light
  20. clip — a video
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. clip — to cut

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