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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: pitch · arm · bark · dip · wave · cue · bass · calf

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bark — to shout
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cue — a signal

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