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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. firm — steady
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. firm — decided
  7. present — there
  8. bound — tied together
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bound — certain
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. sharp — clever
  19. present — the time now
  20. firm — a company
  21. mark — a trace
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bound — obliged

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