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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 116 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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. race — a contest
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a committee
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. face — to point toward
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. face — part of the head
  13. race — the arms race
  14. game — a match
  15. pit — in a race
  16. race — humankind
  17. face — to confront
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pit — a hole
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. calf — of the leg

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