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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. land — ground
  3. land — a country
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. foot — a measure
  7. board — to get on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. land — to come down
  22. bear — the animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. board — a committee

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