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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 124 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: bear · club · stick · bass · saw · pass · ball · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bass — low music
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. club — a group
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. saw — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ball — a great time
  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