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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.

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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: calf · track · bass · game · fine · snap · pass · drill

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bass — low music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bass — the fish
  12. game — wild animals
  13. track — a song
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — a match
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. snap — to click
  20. fine — all right
  21. track — a path
  22. pass — a permit
  23. drill — army training
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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