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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. board — to get on
  9. file — a document
  10. lean — thin
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. root — of a word
  13. board — a committee
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. root — the cause
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. file — a tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lean — to bend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a cup

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