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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. net — for catching
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rock — music
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wax — to grow
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. court — of a king
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. net — in sport
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. court — for sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. court — of law

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