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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 120 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lean — thin
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ground — the earth
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ground — crushed
  11. board — to get on
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ground — a position
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rock — a stone
  21. board — a committee
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bowl — a football final

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