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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · toast · wave · trunk · sharp · shower · lash · staff

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. toast — bread
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. shower — to wash
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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