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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: calf · jam · chair · fall · land · wax · safe · patient

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wax — to grow
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. chair — a leader
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fall — to drop
  15. land — a country
  16. fall — to drop
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. fall — the season
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. land — to come down
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. land — ground

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