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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rock — a stone
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bound — certain
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rock — music
  21. bound — obliged
  22. board — a committee
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pit — a hole

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