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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: lash · wave · court · pass · mouse · drill · pitcher · calf

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. drill — the tool
  9. court — of a king
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. drill — army training
  14. court — for sport
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. court — of law
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mouse — the 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