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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. drill — a practice
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. drill — army training
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. drill — the tool
  12. board — to get on
  13. root — the cause
  14. object — a thing
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. court — for sport
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. object — an aim
  19. court — of law
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. court — of a king
  24. object — to protest

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