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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lean — thin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lean — to bend
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. board — a committee
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mark — a grade
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stock — goods

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