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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: calf · stem · wave · bass · bark · court · deal · rush

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bass — low music
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. court — of law
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rush — hurry
  24. calf — of the leg

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