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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wind · can · spring · board · wax · present · straw · calf

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. board — a committee
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. present — the time now
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — a coil
  9. can — to be able to
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. spring — the season
  12. present — there
  13. present — a gift
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. can — a tin
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. spring — of water

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