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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. file — a line of people
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ground — a position
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mate — to breed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mate — a partner
  11. kick — in football
  12. board — to get on
  13. file — a document
  14. ground — crushed
  15. board — a committee
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mate — a friend
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. file — a tool

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