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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: temple · wake · coach · calf · wax · branch · stick · file

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wake — a trail
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wax — to grow
  18. file — a document
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — in the ear

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