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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: calf · racket · pit · saw · lash · bear · wave · file

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. file — a line of people
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. file — a tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. file — a document
  21. bear — the animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — in a race

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