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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. can — a tin
  4. club — for golf
  5. mark — a trace
  6. club — for dancing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. roll — a cake
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. club — a group
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. board — to get on
  13. can — to be able to
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. roll — a list
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — a grade

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