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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. field — a subject
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bass — low music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. bass — the fish
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — farmland
  23. mate — a friend
  24. calf — of the leg

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