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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. land — to come down
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — to crush
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. can — a tin
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bass — low music
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. calf — of the leg

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