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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bat — the animal
  3. rash — a series
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — all right
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. march — the month
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rash — hasty
  15. root — of a plant
  16. march — music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. march — the month
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. board — a committee
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. calf — a young animal

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