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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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · wave · patient · bowl · bat · sharp · wax · calf

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wax — to grow
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. sharp — clever
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wax — for sculpting

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