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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 · stock · ruler · fork · foot · calf · staff · hide

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stock — shares
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. foot — a measure
  12. staff — a stick
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stock — goods
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. ruler — for measuring

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