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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.

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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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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: wound · ruler · foot · patient · calf · bass · bank · wind

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bank — for money
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bank — for money
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bass — the fish
  20. foot — a measure
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — of a river

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