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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
468
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: wave · fork · hand · chest · calf · wax · rush · foot

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. That must've been 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. wave — of the sea
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wax — to grow
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — a box
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. hand — help
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fork — in a road
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rush — a thrill
  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