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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 · rash · rule · firm · chair · wave · branch · bass

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rule — a law
  4. chair — a leader
  5. branch — a division
  6. firm — steady
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rule — government
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — low music
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rash — a series
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. firm — decided
  22. rash — hasty
  23. firm — a company
  24. wave — with your hand

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