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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: nail · wax · mate · foot · fork · date · pit · calf

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. date — the fruit
  7. fork — in a road
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pit — a hole
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mate — a friend
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. foot — a measure

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