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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. drill — army training
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. drill — a practice
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. board — to get on
  18. bass — low music
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. board — a committee
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bass — the fish

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