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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · wax · squash · mark · game · calf · lie · pitcher

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wax — to grow
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. spell — letters
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. game — a match
  18. spell — magic
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mark — a grade
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. squash — the sport
  24. game — wild animals

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