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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. net — for catching
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. suit — to fit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. squash — to crush
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stem — to come from
  19. net — in sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — after costs
  23. prune — to trim
  24. calf — of the leg

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