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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
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: wax · cap · face · drill · bass · rock · calf · fork

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bass — the fish
  4. drill — army training
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bass — low music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cap — of ice
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. face — to confront
  24. wax — to grow

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