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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wake — a trail
  6. land — to come down
  7. firm — decided
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. toast — bread
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bass — low music
  15. land — ground
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lie — to recline
  19. land — a country
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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