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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 · board · hide · rest · bass · prune · net · wind

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rest — what's left
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. net — after costs
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. net — for catching
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — a committee
  13. bass — low music
  14. net — in sport
  15. wind — moving air
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. board — to get on
  24. rest — what's left

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