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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: calf · bank · track · foot · hide · spell · straw · wax

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. spell — magic
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. spell — a short time
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — a song
  19. bank — of a river
  20. track — a path
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spell — letters
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wax — to grow

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