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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: pop · craft · band · rock · calf · wave · bass · fine

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. craft — boats
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rock — music
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. band — a ring
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fine — high quality
  12. band — a music group
  13. pop — to visit
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pop — soda
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fine — all right
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bass — low music
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. calf — a young animal

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