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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.

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: perch · calf · pop · root · vault · patient · bass · craft

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pop — music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bass — low music
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pop — soda
  8. craft — boats
  9. pop — to visit
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. perch — the fish
  12. vault — a safe
  13. root — of a word
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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