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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fall — to drop
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stand — to bear
  9. court — of a king
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. board — to get on
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. board — a committee
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. court — for sport
  23. fall — the season
  24. court — of law

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