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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 116 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: pitcher · wax · calf · ground · spring · kick · charge · bay

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. ground — crushed
  3. spring — the season
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spring — a coil
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. spring — of water
  10. ground — a position
  11. kick — in football
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. charge — a price
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. ground — the earth
  24. calf — of the leg

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