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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: suit · bass · wind · temple · calf · row · track · pitch

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wind — moving air
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. suit — to fit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — a line
  8. track — to keep track
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. row — to paddle
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wind — moving air
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bass — the fish
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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