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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. board — a committee
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. scale — size or range
  5. hand — help
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. board — to get on
  16. file — a line of people
  17. track — a song
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — a path
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. track — to keep track

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