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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: wax · march · band · drill · dip · temple · rock · calf

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. wax — to grow
  3. drill — army training
  4. band — a ring
  5. drill — the tool
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. march — the month
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. march — music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rock — a stone
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. march — the month
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. band — a music group
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. drill — a practice

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