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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: toast · bear · pitcher · bass · mouse · calf · ball · cold

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bass — low music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a dance
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bass — the fish
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — an illness
  22. toast — bread
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitcher — a jug

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