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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. club — for golf
  10. ground — the earth
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. club — a group
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. board — to get on
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — a committee
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ground — a position

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