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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: clip · dip · can · mouse · bass · sharp · calf · board

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — a committee
  4. clip — for paper
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. can — a tin
  8. board — to get on
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. dip — to sink
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. clip — a video
  15. bass — low music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bass — the fish
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. clip — to cut
  21. sharp — clever
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  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