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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — the time now
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — a gift
  5. bulb — for light
  6. board — to get on
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. present — there
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fine — all right
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a committee
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fine — high quality
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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