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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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — to get on
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bore — to tire
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. suit — in cards
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cap — of ice
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. calf — a young animal

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