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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. row — a line
  4. bass — low music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rest — a break
  7. row — to paddle
  8. can — a tin
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spell — letters
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rest — what's left
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. can — to be able to
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. can — a tin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mug — a face

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