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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. craft — boats
  3. chip — for betting
  4. row — a line
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. date — the fruit
  9. craft — a skill
  10. plane — a tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. row — to paddle
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. chip — to eat
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. board — a committee

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