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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rock — music
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. board — to get on
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wind — moving air
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chair — a leader
  20. board — a committee
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chair — to sit on

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