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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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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 · pop · deal · swing · calf · racket · bore · lie

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pop — soda
  5. lie — to recline
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bass — low music
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. swing — to play on
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. deal — to handle
  19. swing — music
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. swing — in golf
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. calf — a young animal

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