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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fine — all right
  8. swing — to play on
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pop — music
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. degree — an amount
  13. pop — soda
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bass — low music
  18. degree — from a university
  19. chip — to eat
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fine — high quality
  24. swing — music

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