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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. rest — a break
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cue — for pool
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. cue — a signal
  22. foot — a measure
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rest — what's left

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