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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
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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 · racket · ball · sharp · wind · mug · pop · bass

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pop — music
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. ball — a great time
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pop — soda
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mug — to rob
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bass — low music
  16. sharp — clever
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ball — a dance
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mug — a face
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wind — moving air

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