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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bank · ball · calf · bowl · key · wax

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bank — of a river
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bank — for money
  7. key — in music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wax — to grow
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bowl — a football final

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