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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — to fit
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. band — a music group
  6. suit — in cards
  7. current — happening now
  8. board — a committee
  9. prune — to trim
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. current — electric
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. capital — a city
  14. board — to get on
  15. dip — to sink
  16. current — of water
  17. band — a ring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. prune — to trim
  23. capital — money
  24. suit — clothes

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