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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — to get on
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. board — a committee
  11. bulb — for light
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. branch — a division
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a music group
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stand — for spectators

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