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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. perch — the fish
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bank — of a river
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. craft — a skill
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — for catching
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bank — for money
  18. craft — boats
  19. bass — low music
  20. stand — to bear
  21. net — in sport
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. net — after costs
  24. bank — for money

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