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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pop — to visit
  5. can — to be able to
  6. wake — a trail
  7. kick — in football
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. can — a tin
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pop — music
  15. bass — low music
  16. can — a tin
  17. pop — soda
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mouse — the 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