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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 116 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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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. race — a contest
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rest — what's left
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. spell — a short time
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. row — to paddle
  21. board — a committee
  22. rest — a break
  23. board — to get on
  24. row — a line

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