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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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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: bowl · cabinet · craft · key · calf · bass · track · sharp

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. track — a song
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. track — a path
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. craft — boats
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. key — the most important part
  18. sharp — clever
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. craft — a skill
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. key — in music
  24. bass — the fish

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