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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wax — to grow
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. kick — in football
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — the fish
  9. staff — employees
  10. cell — in biology
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. staff — a stick
  16. cell — a phone
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. staff — employees
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. kick — a thrill

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