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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. suit — clothes
  5. sharp — clever
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bass — low music
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. dip — to sink
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. suit — to fit
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — the fish
  19. can — a tin
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. can — to be able to
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. suit — in cards

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