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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.

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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: foot · drill · calf · wax · cap · saw · lash · stem

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. foot — a measure
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cap — a lid
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. saw — the tool
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stem — to come from
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. saw — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cap — of ice
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stem — of a plant

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