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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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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: shower · fork · swing · calf · wax · stand · ruler · squash

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. swing — music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. squash — to crush
  13. shower — to wash
  14. swing — to play on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. shower — rain
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fork — in a road
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wax — to grow
  24. stand — to bear

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