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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bass — the fish
  5. kid — to tease
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — low music
  9. kid — child
  10. shower — rain
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — to wash
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. suit — to fit
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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