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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bass — low music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bass — the fish
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — decided
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. capital — money
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. capital — a city
  17. firm — steady
  18. snap — to click
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. firm — a company

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