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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — the animal
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — a committee
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. firm — a company
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. firm — steady
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. board — to get on
  16. track — a song
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — a path
  19. firm — decided
  20. track — to keep track
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. scale — size or range

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