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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: wax · wave · cell · calf · coach · current · bear · capital

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cell — in biology
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wax — to grow
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. current — electric
  15. capital — a city
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. current — happening now
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. capital — money

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