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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: saw · last · spell · roll · calf · ball · wax · current

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. last — finally
  4. roll — a list
  5. spell — a short time
  6. current — of water
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. saw — the tool
  10. roll — a cake
  11. spell — magic
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. spell — letters
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. current — happening now
  16. saw — the tool
  17. last — to go on
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wax — to grow
  21. current — electric
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. last — final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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