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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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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: lash · calf · stick · mate · wax · dip · bass · date

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bass — the fish
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wax — to grow
  6. date — the fruit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mate — a partner
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. date — on the calendar

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