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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fall — to drop
  5. spell — a short time
  6. craft — a skill
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. fall — the season
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. spell — letters
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. spell — magic
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. craft — boats
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bass — low music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stand — to bear

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