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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. craft — boats
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bass — the fish
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. band — a music group
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. vault — a safe
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. band — a ring
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. craft — a skill

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