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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bass — low music
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bass — the fish
  10. tube — the underground
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. track — a song
  13. rock — music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. track — a path
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cap — a hat

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