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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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. object — a thing
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. object — an aim
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wax — to grow
  9. kick — in football
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. object — to protest
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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