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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ground — crushed
  5. tube — the underground
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. content — the amount
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — a position
  16. tube — a container
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. content — happy
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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