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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
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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: track · pop · fan · jam · roll · wax · calf · pitch

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. track — a path
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. roll — a list
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — a song
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pop — soda

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