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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. kick — in football
  3. present — a gift
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. present — there
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. root — the cause
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. present — the time now
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — to get on
  17. root — of a plant
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. board — a committee
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. root — of a word

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