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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pass — a permit
  6. suit — to fit
  7. board — to get on
  8. suit — clothes
  9. game — a match
  10. board — a committee
  11. ground — the earth
  12. season — of the year
  13. cue — a hint
  14. suit — in cards
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — a signal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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