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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: field · bass · pitch · wave · track · calf · branch · rock

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. track — a song
  3. pitch — completely
  4. track — a path
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bass — low music
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. field — a subject
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. field — for sport
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. rock — music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. field — farmland

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