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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: calf · plane · cap · squash · wax · bear · firm · deal

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wax — to grow
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cap — a lid
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. firm — steady
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — the sport
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cap — of ice
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. squash — to crush
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. firm — a company

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