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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 116 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: nail · calf · file · wave · bass · season · firm · cue

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. firm — steady
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. file — a line of people
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. file — a tool
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. cue — a signal
  11. firm — decided
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. file — a document
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — low music
  22. firm — a company
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bass — the instrument

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