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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 116 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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. capital — money
  4. mark — a trace
  5. board — a committee
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. bass — the fish
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bass — low music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rash — a series
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. capital — a city
  24. mark — to pay attention

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