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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — a face
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mug — a cup
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. firm — decided
  8. bass — low music
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. firm — steady
  13. bass — the fish
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. fall — the season
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. kick — in football
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stem — to come from

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