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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. row — to paddle
  3. race — humankind
  4. board — a committee
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. race — the arms race
  14. suit — clothes
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bat — the animal
  17. row — a line
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. board — to get on
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. race — a contest
  24. suit — to fit

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