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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: net · calf · clip · mate · temple · mark · current · bass

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. current — electric
  6. clip — for paper
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mark — a grade
  9. current — happening now
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bass — low music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bass — the fish
  15. net — after costs
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. clip — a video
  18. net — in sport
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — to breed
  21. current — of water
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mate — a friend

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