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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 · racket · calf · roll · saw · firm · stick · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — steady
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. saw — the tool
  8. roll — a cake
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. firm — a company
  14. roll — a list
  15. cap — of ice
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. firm — decided
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. saw — the tool

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