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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. degree — from a university
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. degree — an amount
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. face — to confront
  13. present — a gift
  14. bass — low music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — temperature
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bass — the fish
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — army training

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