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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. court — for sport
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. field — for sport
  8. current — happening now
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. field — a subject
  12. board — to get on
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. current — of water
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — for pool
  18. current — electric
  19. board — a committee
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — of law
  22. field — farmland
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cue — a signal

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