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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 · roll · saw · cap · calf · track · mouse · charge

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. cap — a hat
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cap — a lid
  10. track — a path
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. track — to keep track
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a list
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — to grow
  18. charge — a price
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cap — of ice
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. track — a song
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — electricity

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