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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · craft · calf · cue · squash · wax · cap · foot

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — a hint
  6. craft — boats
  7. cap — a hat
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. cap — a lid
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. cap — of ice
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ball — a great time
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wax — to grow
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. foot — the bottom

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