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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 116 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: ball · band · object · calf · rest · pound · chair · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. band — a ring
  3. object — to protest
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rest — what's left
  6. band — a music group
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. object — a thing
  10. rest — what's left
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. object — an aim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rest — a break
  17. chair — a leader
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wave — with your hand

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