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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. dip — to sink
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. suit — in cards
  15. race — a contest
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bass — low music
  19. drill — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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