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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: racket · wave · kick · firm · bark · date · bay · wind

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. firm — steady
  14. kick — in football
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. bark — to shout
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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