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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chest — a box
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. board — to get on
  7. mark — a grade
  8. club — for golf
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chest — of your body
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. club — a group
  13. mark — a trace
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. club — for dancing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. saw — the tool
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. board — a committee
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. chest — of your body

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