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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mug — a face
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. scale — in music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. spring — the season
  21. scale — size or range
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — of water
  24. mug — to rob

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