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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: ground · calf · cabinet · squash · wax · pound · nail · club

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. club — a group
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ground — the earth
  5. squash — to crush
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. club — for dancing
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. ground — crushed
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. club — for golf
  24. pound — a weight

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