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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: mug · tear · plane · calf · root · last · bass · fine

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. tear — from crying
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — finally
  8. root — the cause
  9. mug — to rob
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. mug — a cup
  14. last — final
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. root — of a plant
  17. fine — all right
  18. root — of a word
  19. tear — to rip
  20. fine — high quality
  21. last — to go on
  22. tear — from crying
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bass — the instrument

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