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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: wax · ruler · calf · game · board · cue · spell · face

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cue — for pool
  10. board — to get on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. board — a committee
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. face — to confront
  16. cue — a signal
  17. spell — a short time
  18. spell — magic
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spell — letters
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. game — a match

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