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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. suit — to fit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bass — low music
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pop — soda
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rule — government
  19. pop — to visit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  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