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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mate — to breed
  8. firm — a company
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mate — a friend
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. firm — steady
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cap — a lid
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — decided
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. craft — boats
  24. calf — a young animal

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