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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bore — to tire
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. face — to confront
  6. pass — a permit
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. face — part of the head
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bass — low music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. firm — decided
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. firm — a company
  22. bore — to drill
  23. firm — steady
  24. face — to point toward

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