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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.

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: bark · mouse · wax · foot · calf · squash · face · bay

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. foot — a measure
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — to confront
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wax — to grow
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mouse — the 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