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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ground — the earth
  3. club — for dancing
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — a group
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. current — of water
  8. rule — a law
  9. bass — low music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ground — a position
  17. rule — government
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. club — for golf
  21. bass — the fish
  22. current — electric
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ruler — for measuring

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