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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: calf · court · wake · dip · wax · pitch · rule · tube

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. rule — a law
  11. tube — a container
  12. dip — to sink
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rule — government
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. court — for sport
  23. wake — a trail
  24. calf — of the leg

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