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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: rest · sharp · wax · swing · coach · wound · toast · calf

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wound — an injury
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. swing — music
  21. toast — bread
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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