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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bark — to shout
  4. can — a tin
  5. bass — low music
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. stock — shares
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stock — goods
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bear — 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