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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rash — a series
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. drill — the tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. drill — a practice
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. squash — the sport
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. drill — army training
  19. board — a committee
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. toast — bread

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