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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ground — a position
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stock — goods
  7. board — to get on
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cap — a lid
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cap — of ice
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ground — the earth
  22. board — a committee
  23. cap — a hat
  24. suit — to fit

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