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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — low music
  3. chest — a box
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. present — the time now
  7. bass — the fish
  8. present — a gift
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. present — there
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. staff — employees
  17. row — to paddle
  18. chest — of your body
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. staff — employees
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chest — of your body
  23. row — a line
  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