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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pop — music
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fall — the season
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pop — soda
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pop — to visit
  19. board — to get on
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mug — to rob
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mug — a face
  24. calf — a young animal

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