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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — to get on
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — in cards
  5. scale — size or range
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. board — a committee
  10. pop — soda
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — to visit
  15. deal — to handle
  16. suit — clothes
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pop — music
  22. stand — to bear
  23. scale — in music
  24. stand — for spectators

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