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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rash — a series
  5. kick — in football
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mug — to rob
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stock — goods
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stock — shares
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bass — the fish
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bowl — a dish

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