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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 120 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: tear · bowl · pass · bass · rock · calf · hand · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. hand — in cards
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bass — low music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tear — to rip
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hand — help
  15. lie — to recline
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rock — music
  18. pass — a permit
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. tear — from crying

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