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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 120 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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. ground — crushed
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. ground — a position
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ground — the earth
  14. face — to confront
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mug — a face
  18. staff — employees
  19. bass — low music
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — to point toward
  24. wound — an injury

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