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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. suit — to fit
  3. firm — a company
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. firm — steady
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bass — low music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wind — moving air
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. wind — moving air
  24. arm — part of the body

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