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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. object — an aim
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. object — a thing
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. key — in music
  17. charge — a price
  18. object — to protest
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. charge — in control
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wax — for sculpting

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