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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cold — an illness
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bass — low music
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. hand — help
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — a measure
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cold — not warm
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bay — a horse colour

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