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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 120 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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. kid — child
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — a match
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. board — a committee
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — to tease
  20. game — wild animals
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. board — to get on

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