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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. roll — a list
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rest — a break
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. chair — a leader
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bass — low music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mine — for digging
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. roll — a cake
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rush — hurry

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