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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: spell · rest · wax · temple · plane · ball · pitcher · calf

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rest — what's left
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. spell — magic
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rest — what's left
  19. spell — a short time
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. spell — letters
  22. rest — a break
  23. ball — a great time
  24. temple — a place of worship

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