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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 124 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. land — a country
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bass — the fish
  11. land — ground
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bass — low music
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. land — to come down
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. plane — a tool
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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