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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. mate — a partner
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. fine — all right
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mark — a grade

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