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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — to rob
  6. present — the time now
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. firm — decided
  9. mug — a face
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. present — there
  17. saw — the tool
  18. present — a gift
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bass — the fish

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