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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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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: bank · calf · cue · racket · bass · capital

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bass — low music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bank — for money
  7. capital — money
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bank — of a river
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. capital — a city
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — the fish
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. racket — for tennis

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