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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: date · lash · wave · calf · fork · stock · snap · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fork — in a road
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. firm — a company
  7. date — the fruit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. stock — goods
  12. firm — steady
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. snap — to click
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. date — on the calendar

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