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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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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: present · lash · ball · jam · calf · cabinet · wave · fork

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. present — the time now
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. ball — a great time
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ball — a dance
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. present — a gift
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. present — there
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fork — a garden tool

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