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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: ball · calf · clip · temple · object · bass · wake · stem

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wake — a trail
  4. object — to protest
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. stem — to come from
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. object — an aim
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bass — the fish
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. clip — for paper
  20. object — a thing
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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