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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. can — to be able to
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. kid — to tease
  7. can — a tin
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bass — low music
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mug — to rob
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. kid — child
  24. calf — a young animal

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