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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. board — a committee
  3. rash — a series
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. chip — to eat
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. content — the amount
  13. board — to get on
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. rash — hasty
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. content — happy
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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