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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: foot · bass · mug · pound · roll · racket · calf · coach

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. roll — a list
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mug — to rob
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mug — a cup
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bass — the fish
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mug — a face
  16. roll — a cake
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bass — low music
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. foot — a measure
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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