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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
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: bat · rock · calf · bass · cabinet · perch · bank · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bank — of a river
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bat — the animal
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. bass — low music
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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