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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — to trim
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bound — tied together
  7. suit — clothes
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. board — to get on
  10. bound — obliged
  11. roll — a list
  12. board — a committee
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bound — certain
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. present — there
  20. rush — hurry
  21. present — the time now
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. roll — on a roll

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