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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. rash — a series
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bass — low music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pit — a hole
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rule — a law
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rule — to rule out

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