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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: bass · hide · game · sharp · hand · calf · suit · rule

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. hand — in cards
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. suit — in cards
  17. sharp — clever
  18. game — a match
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rule — a law
  21. hand — help
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rule — government
  24. bass — low music

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