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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: game · bass · drill · rush · chair · suit · mark · calf

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. suit — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. game — a match
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. game — wild animals
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bass — low music
  18. drill — army training
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bass — the fish
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rush — a thrill

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