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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: season · bass · bear · firm · bank · squash · calf · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — a company
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chest — of your body
  15. firm — decided
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. season — of the year
  20. bank — for money
  21. firm — steady
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. season — in sport
  24. bank — of a river

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