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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: file · mouse · calf · spell · bark · wax · mate · cabinet

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. file — a document
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mate — a partner
  18. file — a line of people
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spell — letters
  21. file — a tool
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. calf — a young 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