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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. content — the amount
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. board — to get on
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. content — happy
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — from a university
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. degree — temperature
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. board — a committee

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