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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pop — soda
  10. band — a music group
  11. pit — a hole
  12. last — final
  13. bass — low music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. band — a ring
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pop — music
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — finally
  24. temple — a place of worship

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