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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.

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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wave · bay · lash · board · sharp · ground · ball · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. board — to get on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — a committee
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ball — a dance
  24. sharp — exactly

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