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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.

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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bass — the fish
  3. stock — shares
  4. tube — a container
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. firm — a company
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. stock — goods
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bass — low music
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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