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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. band — a music group
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bass — the fish
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. band — a ring
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pop — to visit
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bass — low music
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. dip — to dunk

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