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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wake — a trail
  6. band — a ring
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. foot — a measure
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. deal — to handle
  13. band — a music group
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. branch — a division
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. calf — a young animal

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