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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: bound · calf · capital · rest · squash · cabinet · wax · board

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rest — what's left
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. bound — certain
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. capital — a city
  14. squash — to crush
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. capital — money
  17. board — to get on
  18. squash — the sport
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — tied together
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bound — obliged
  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