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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pop — to visit
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. club — for dancing
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pop — soda
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bass — low music
  17. club — a group
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pop — music
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. club — for golf
  24. bass — the instrument

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