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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.

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: fan · wax · coach · calf · wave · court · safe · march

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. march — the month
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. court — of a king
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. march — the month
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. march — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. court — for sport
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. safe — out of danger

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