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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — an aim
  3. board — a committee
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. file — a tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. object — a thing
  8. board — to get on
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spell — magic
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. object — to protest
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. spell — a short time
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spell — letters
  23. file — a document
  24. ruler — a monarch

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