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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. shower — rain
  12. swing — music
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. face — to point toward
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — clothes
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. deal — to handle

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