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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · mate · calf · rash · lash · wax · mark · chest

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wax — to grow
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rash — hasty
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. chest — a box
  7. mate — a partner
  8. game — a match
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mate — a friend
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — to breed
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rash — a series

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