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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. race — humankind
  5. season — of the year
  6. pass — a permit
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bank — for money
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bank — of a river
  13. race — a contest
  14. season — in sport
  15. race — the arms race
  16. mate — to breed
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — low music

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