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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — all right
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. clip — a video
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rock — music
  15. bass — low music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rock — a stone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. clip — to cut
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. clip — for paper
  24. calf — of the leg

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