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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mark — a grade
  3. tube — a container
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. swing — to play on
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — of the year
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. swing — music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. season — in sport

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