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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
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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: date · lash · calf · object · toast · wake · hand · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. hand — in cards
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. date — the fruit
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. toast — bread
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. hand — help

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