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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. club — for golf
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. club — for dancing
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. club — a group
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — a gift
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. board — a committee
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. present — there
  19. board — to get on
  20. kid — child
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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