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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. season — of the year
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. season — in sport
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. chest — of your body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — to get on
  21. lean — to bend
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lean — thin
  24. calf — a young animal

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