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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · calf · stick · bound · rock · mark · lash · bass

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bound — certain
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. file — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rock — music
  16. file — a document
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. file — a line of people
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rock — a stone
  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