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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 116 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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rash — a series
  7. net — for catching
  8. bass — low music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. net — after costs
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bass — the fish
  17. net — in sport
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bass — the instrument

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