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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · calf · rash · arm · bass · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rash — hasty
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — a series
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. calf — of the leg

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