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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. court — of a king
  8. chest — a box
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. chest — of your body
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. court — of law
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. court — for sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. arm — part of the body

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