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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. bass — low music
  8. firm — steady
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. scale — in music
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. spell — letters
  15. scale — size or range
  16. kick — in football
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. firm — decided
  23. spell — magic
  24. pass — a permit

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