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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. board — a committee
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ball — a great time
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bark — to shout
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — to handle

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