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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — to cut
  6. face — part of the head
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — for paper
  18. face — to point toward
  19. craft — boats
  20. face — to confront
  21. craft — a skill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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