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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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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: root · bass · toast · stick · fall · coach · calf · rock

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. root — the cause
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rock — music
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bass — low music
  13. toast — bread
  14. root — of a word
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — of a plant
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. fall — the season

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