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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: calf · mark · coach · band · bass · saw · firm · dip

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. band — a ring
  3. bass — the fish
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. saw — the tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. dip — to sink
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bass — low music
  22. band — a music group
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. saw — the tool

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