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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tube — the underground
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — finally
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. suit — in cards
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. board — to get on
  12. chest — of your body
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. last — to go on
  16. tube — a container
  17. chest — a box
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chest — of your body
  23. last — final
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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