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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mate — a friend
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. board — a committee
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. craft — a skill
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. board — to get on
  20. craft — boats
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. sharp — clever
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stem — to come from

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