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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. board — a committee
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stock — shares
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. season — of the year
  9. ball — a great time
  10. board — to get on
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. stock — goods
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. season — in sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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