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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bark — to shout
  8. rock — a stone
  9. band — a ring
  10. object — an aim
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. object — a thing
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — music
  15. scale — in music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. cell — a phone
  19. band — a music group
  20. bass — low music
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. object — to protest
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. rock — to move gently

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