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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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Word bank
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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. game — wild animals
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. hand — in cards
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a match
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bass — low music
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — the most important part

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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