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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.

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: racket · bass · object · band · march · calf · rash · face

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. object — to protest
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bass — low music
  7. object — an aim
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. march — the month
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. band — a music group
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. face — to confront
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. band — a ring
  22. bass — the fish
  23. march — the month
  24. face — to point toward

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