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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: foot · patient · bear · wax · calf · rash · suit · track

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. wax — to grow
  3. suit — to fit
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bear — the animal
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. track — to keep track
  11. suit — clothes
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. track — a path
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rash — a series
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. track — a song
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. calf — a young animal

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