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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 · pitcher · bore · trunk · wave · wax · calf · ground

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — a position
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ground — crushed
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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