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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: wave · calf · bay · ground · bass · cabinet · bowl · stand

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bass — low music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — the fish
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. stand — for spectators

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