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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: mate · chair · bass · deal · saw · bark · game · calf

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bass — low music
  4. game — wild animals
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. mate — a partner
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. saw — the tool
  10. game — a match
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mate — to breed
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mate — a friend
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bark — of a tree

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