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

Word bank: kick · bass · cell · firm · cap · calf

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. firm — steady
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bass — low music
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. cell — a phone
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. firm — decided
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. firm — a company
  18. bass — the fish

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