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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: lash · plane · calf · rock · wound · bass · bore · court

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — for sport
  4. bore — to tire
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rock — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rock — a stone
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bore — to drill
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — a tool
  20. court — of law
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wound — an injury

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