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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wax — to grow
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mine — for digging
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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