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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rest — what's left
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rest — what's left
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. board — to get on
  14. game — a match
  15. board — a committee
  16. rest — a break
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. shower — to wash
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. shower — rain

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