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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. march — music
  4. firm — steady
  5. game — a match
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. march — the month
  9. firm — a company
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. board — a committee
  17. capital — money
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. firm — decided
  20. march — the month
  21. board — to get on
  22. capital — a city
  23. game — wild animals
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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