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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. capital — money
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bore — to tire
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. board — a committee
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bore — to drill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. capital — a city
  24. board — to get on

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