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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: ball · pit · current · firm · calf · bass · foot · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. pit — a hole
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. current — happening now
  7. firm — a company
  8. current — electric
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — low music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pit — in a race
  19. current — of water
  20. bass — the fish
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ball — a dance

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