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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · chair · pop · calf · bay · scale · wave · net

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. sharp — clever
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. scale — size or range
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. scale — in music
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. net — for catching
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. sharp — with an edge

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