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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: cabinet · season · staff · bass · land · club · ball · calf

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. club — for golf
  3. ball — a dance
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bass — the fish
  7. staff — employees
  8. land — ground
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. land — a country
  13. season — in sport
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. land — to come down
  16. club — a group
  17. ball — a great time
  18. staff — a stick
  19. season — of the year
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. bass — low music
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. ball — a round shape

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