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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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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: net · bass · wave · rush · racket · bank · fine · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fine — all right
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. net — for catching
  8. bank — for money
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — in sport
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bass — the fish
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wave — with your hand

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