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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · lie · calf · deal · pound · wax

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. 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. pound — for dogs
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pound — a weight
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. 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