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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bass — the fish
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. staff — employees
  13. deal — to handle
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — low music
  16. staff — employees
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stem — to come from
  24. game — wild animals

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