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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.

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: ball · bear · lie · bass · can · calf · spell · object

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. object — a thing
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. can — to be able to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — to protest
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — letters
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bear — the animal
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — low music
  22. object — an aim
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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