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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. perch — the fish
  11. season — of the year
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. board — to get on
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rule — a law
  19. board — a committee
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. season — in sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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