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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wax · calf · fine · bark · row · wave · jam · lie

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. fine — high quality
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. row — to paddle
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. row — a line
  20. wax — to grow
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fine — all right
  24. wave — of the sea

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