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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.

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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: bay · calf · date · prune · club · lash · wave · stand

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. club — for dancing
  8. date — the fruit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stand — to bear
  12. club — a group
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. club — for golf
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. calf — a young 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