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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bass — low music
  3. can — a tin
  4. firm — steady
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — a country
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — decided
  14. object — a thing
  15. bass — the fish
  16. object — an aim
  17. land — to come down
  18. object — to protest

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