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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. object — a thing
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. object — to protest
  9. march — the month
  10. board — a committee
  11. bulb — for light
  12. staff — a stick
  13. march — the month
  14. land — to come down
  15. staff — employees
  16. club — for golf
  17. object — an aim
  18. march — music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. club — a group

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