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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: mouse · calf · spring · game · staff · track · bass · club

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. staff — employees
  4. game — a match
  5. track — a song
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bass — low music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. track — a path
  14. club — for dancing
  15. spring — a coil
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — of water
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. game — wild animals

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