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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: hide · pit · club · calf · wax · wake · charge · band

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. charge — in control
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pit — a hole
  10. band — a music group
  11. pit — in a race
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. club — a group
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. charge — a price
  18. club — for golf
  19. band — a ring
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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