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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
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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: calf · wax · sharp · mark · cap · foot · trunk · perch

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mark — a trace
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cap — of ice
  14. perch — the fish
  15. wax — to grow
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — clever
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. foot — a measure
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. calf — a young animal

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