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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bass — low music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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