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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 124 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bear — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. present — the time now
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — a gift
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. present — there
  16. scale — in music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wax — to grow
  22. scale — size or range
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wax — in the ear

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