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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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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — low music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bear — the animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. net — in sport
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bass — the fish
  15. firm — decided
  16. net — after costs
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bear — the animal
  19. swing — music
  20. net — for catching
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bass — the instrument

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