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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.

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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 · bay · spell · stand · rock · stock · band · wax

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. spell — magic
  3. band — a music group
  4. rock — music
  5. spell — letters
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. band — a ring
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stock — goods
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stock — shares
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stand — to bear
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. stock — a soup base

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