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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: hide · net · calf · bay · swing · ground · bass · toast

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. toast — bread
  7. ground — the earth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. swing — to play on
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. ground — a position
  13. swing — in golf
  14. net — after costs
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. swing — music
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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