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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.

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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 · rock · chip · plane · calf · wound · present · kick

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wax — to grow
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rock — music
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. kick — in football
  24. present — the time now

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