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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.

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 · pitch · fine · lash · bark · track · wax · club

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bark — to shout
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. track — a path
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. track — a song
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pitch — completely
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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