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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. board — to get on
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. land — ground
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. deal — to handle
  9. land — to come down
  10. wound — an injury
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. land — a country
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. board — a committee

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