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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: wax · racket · calf · ball · track · vault · date · firm

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. firm — decided
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. track — a song
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. firm — a company
  11. vault — a safe
  12. ball — a great time
  13. track — to keep track
  14. date — the fruit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — steady
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ball — a dance
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. track — a path
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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