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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. craft — a skill
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wind — moving air
  12. board — a committee
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pass — a permit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. craft — boats
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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