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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · calf · bass · fan · hide · net · leaves · chest

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. chest — of your body
  5. net — for catching
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chest — of your body
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. net — after costs
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bass — low music
  19. net — in sport
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. chest — a box
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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