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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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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: bowl · racket · kid · wax · calf · bank · cap · vault

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bank — for money
  11. kid — child
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cap — a hat
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cap — a lid
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. vault — a safe
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. cap — of ice
  23. kid — to tease
  24. 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