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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: mug · calf · swing · deal · wake · wax · rock · wave

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — music
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mug — a face
  7. wax — to grow
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wake — a trail
  13. swing — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mug — a cup
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rock — a stone
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. swing — in golf

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