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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. ball — a dance
  4. charge — a price
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. charge — in control
  7. mate — to breed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mate — a partner
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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