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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 120 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
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · chest · mouse · plane · can · calf

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. chest — a box
  9. can — to be able to
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool

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