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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fall — the season
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pop — music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fall — to drop
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rest — a break
  13. bass — low music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pop — to visit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. sharp — clever
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bass — the fish

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