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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: wax · safe · craft · charge · pitcher · ruler · bark · calf

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. craft — boats
  7. bark — to shout
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — in control
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. charge — a price
  24. craft — a skill

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