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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. can — a tin
  5. fork — in a road
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. degree — an amount
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. can — to be able to
  13. shower — rain
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bank — for money
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bass — low music
  19. degree — from a university
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. degree — temperature
  22. shower — to wash
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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