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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — steady
  8. key — in music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. key — the most important part
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bass — low music
  16. firm — decided
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government

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