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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: jam · straw · stand · calf · bore · wake · wax · hide

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. wax — to grow
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bore — to drill
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wake — a trail

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