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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: calf · march · pound · trunk · pass · bank · mug · bass

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bass — the fish
  6. mug — a face
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bank — for money
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. march — the month
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. march — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pass — a permit
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bass — low music
  23. bank — of a river
  24. march — the month

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