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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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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — a measure
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. file — a line of people
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. current — electric
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. file — a tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. date — the fruit
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. file — a document
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. current — of water
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. date — on the calendar

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