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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. wind — moving air
  12. board — a committee
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fine — all right
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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