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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: suit · wake · calf · dip · net · court · bass · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. net — in sport
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wake — a trail
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. net — for catching
  11. suit — clothes
  12. court — of a king
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bass — low music
  23. suit — in cards
  24. net — after costs

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