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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: chair · drill · bark · roll · calf · trunk · wax · wave

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. roll — a list
  4. wax — to grow
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. drill — the tool
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. roll — a cake
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. drill — army training
  24. roll — on a roll

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