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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: bay · nail · dip · game · calf · wax · date · mate

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. game — wild animals
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mate — a friend
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wax — to grow
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. date — the fruit
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. dip — to sink
  19. game — a match
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mate — to breed

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