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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: ruler · court · bass · calf · branch · can · wave · pound

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bass — low music
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — a weight
  10. can — a tin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. court — for sport
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. branch — a division
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. court — of law
  18. bass — the fish
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ruler — for measuring

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