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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: wax · saw · band · straw · calf · board · trunk · bulb

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wax — to grow
  7. board — to get on
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. band — a music group
  10. saw — the tool
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. band — a ring
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. straw — dry grass

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