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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. march — the month
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bound — obliged
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bound — certain
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bound — tied together
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bass — low music

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