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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: wind · lash · calf · fan · pass · root · wake · bass

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bass — low music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wind — moving air
  13. root — of a word
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wake — a trail
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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