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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 120 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 · cap · calf · firm · pop · bay · spring · rest

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. firm — a company
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rest — a break
  9. spring — a coil
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pop — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wax — to grow
  17. spring — of water
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pop — soda
  20. firm — decided
  21. rest — what's left
  22. spring — the season
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cap — of ice

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