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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 116 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: mouse · field · fork · wax · calf · cue · firm · leaves

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. cue — a hint
  7. field — farmland
  8. wax — to grow
  9. field — a subject
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. firm — a company
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. leaves — of a tree

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