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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cell — a phone
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ground — the earth
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ground — a position
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cell — in biology
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bass — low music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ground — crushed
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. fan — a supporter

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