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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. scale — in music
  3. spell — a short time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. date — the fruit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rock — music
  12. spell — magic
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. scale — size or range
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. spell — letters
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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