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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 · wax · bank · staff · drill · root · mug · race

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — humankind
  7. staff — employees
  8. root — the cause
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mug — a cup
  11. drill — a practice
  12. race — the arms race
  13. staff — employees
  14. race — a contest
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. root — of a word
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mug — to rob
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bank — for money
  23. wax — to grow
  24. root — of a plant

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