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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fine — high quality
  6. ball — a dance
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bound — certain
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. firm — decided
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. board — to get on
  17. firm — a company
  18. bound — tied together
  19. firm — steady
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. board — a committee
  24. bound — obliged

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