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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 120 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: wax · calf · wave · lash · pop · patient · tube · pitch

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wax — to grow
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pop — to visit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. tube — a container
  14. pop — soda
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pop — music
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitch — completely

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