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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 120 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: wax · temple · calf · mark · mouse · court · wound · dip

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mark — a grade
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. court — of law
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. dip — to sink
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wax — to grow
  14. court — of a king
  15. wound — an injury
  16. court — for sport
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — in the ear

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