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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bear — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bass — low music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — of law
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bear — the animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. face — to point toward
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. court — for sport

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