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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: wave · wind · calf · ground · rock · bay · kick · object

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rock — music
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. object — a thing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — crushed
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. kick — a thrill

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