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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. mug — to rob
  2. rock — a stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rush — hurry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. court — of a king
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. court — for sport
  14. rock — music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mug — a cup
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pit — in a race
  19. court — of law
  20. mug — a face
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ball — a great time
  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