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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. tube — a container
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. board — to get on
  6. wind — moving air
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. cell — in biology
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. wind — moving air
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cell — a phone
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. board — a committee
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wave — with your hand

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