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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bass — the fish
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bass — low music
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stock — goods
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. object — a thing
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — a permit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stock — shares
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. calf — a young animal

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