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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. current — of water
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lie — to recline
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. track — a song
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. perch — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. current — electric
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. kick — in football
  19. bass — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. current — happening now
  23. track — a path
  24. perch — for a bird

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