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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bass · fall · pop · craft · sharp · calf · chair · root

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pop — to visit
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fall — the season
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bass — low music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pop — soda
  10. sharp — clever
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — music
  17. root — of a word
  18. chair — a leader
  19. root — the cause
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. craft — boats

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