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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: dip · bowl · calf · mark · club · net · firm · bass

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. club — for golf
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. firm — steady
  5. club — a group
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. dip — to sink
  14. club — for dancing
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. calf — of the leg

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