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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · kick · spring · calf · wax · toast · ball · plane

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. object — to protest
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. spring — a coil
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spring — the season
  10. object — an aim
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. plane — a tool
  14. toast — bread
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a dance
  17. kick — in football
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. ball — a great time
  21. spring — of water
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wax — to grow
  24. object — a thing

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