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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: present · mark · wake · bass · bowl · sharp · row · calf

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. present — there
  5. bass — the fish
  6. present — a gift
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mark — a trace
  15. row — a line
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mark — a grade
  18. present — the time now
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bass — low music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. row — to paddle

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