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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 116 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: calf · dip · court · land · stand · bass · pit · face

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. face — to point toward
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. court — of a king
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. court — of law
  13. land — a country
  14. face — part of the head
  15. court — for sport
  16. land — to come down
  17. dip — to sink
  18. face — to confront
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pit — in a race
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bass — the fish

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