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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.

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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: capital · wax · mouse · wake · craft · bowl · calf · race

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. race — a contest
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wax — to grow
  6. craft — boats
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. race — humankind
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. capital — money
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. race — the arms race
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. capital — a city

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