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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.

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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: mark · wax · calf · game · stand · object · fork · snap

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stand — to bear
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. game — a match
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. object — to protest
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wax — to grow
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. game — wild animals
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. snap — to click
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. stand — for spectators

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