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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: bowl · squash · calf · pound · bass · root · cabinet · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. root — the cause
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. squash — to crush
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. root — of a word
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bass — low music

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