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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cold — an illness
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. board — a committee
  5. sharp — clever
  6. firm — decided
  7. cold — not warm
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. firm — steady
  15. foot — a measure
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. firm — a company
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. board — to get on
  24. mouse — the 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