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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.

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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 · bay · rule · calf · swing · ball · racket · dip

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wax — to grow
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. dip — to sink
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rule — a law
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. swing — music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — for sculpting

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