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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.

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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: root · wax · fork · calf · pit · game · wave · stand

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fork — in a road
  8. root — the cause
  9. game — a match
  10. root — of a word
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pit — a hole
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. root — of a plant
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wave — with your hand

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