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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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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. hand — help
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. field — for sport
  6. stock — goods
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. hand — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — low music
  16. field — a subject
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. field — farmland
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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