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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: present · band · land · lie · calf · wax · ball · kick

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a great time
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. land — a country
  11. present — there
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. band — a music group
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. present — a gift
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. present — the time now
  20. lie — to recline
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kick — in football
  23. band — a ring
  24. wax — to grow

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