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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · trunk · bear · ground · calf · bass · lie · kid

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ground — a position
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. current — of water
  11. kid — child
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kid — to tease
  17. ground — the earth
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. current — electric
  22. bass — low music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. trunk — of a tree

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