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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — steady
  6. staff — employees
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bass — low music
  11. staff — a stick
  12. craft — a skill
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. firm — a company
  16. bass — the fish
  17. chair — a leader
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. staff — employees
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitch — completely

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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