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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.

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 · leaves · face · bear · fine · field · calf · bay

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. field — for sport
  3. field — farmland
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. face — to confront
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bear — the animal
  14. field — a subject
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fine — high quality
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. leaves — of a tree

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