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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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 — a young animal
  2. current — happening now
  3. board — a committee
  4. current — electric
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. root — of a word
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bore — to drill
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. root — the cause
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. current — of water
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  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