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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. wax — to grow
  5. staff — a stick
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. staff — employees
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bat — the animal
  11. march — the month
  12. bore — to drill
  13. march — the month
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. ball — a great time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. staff — employees
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bank — for money
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bank — for money

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