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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. board — a committee
  3. can — a tin
  4. band — a ring
  5. board — to get on
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ball — a great time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a music group
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ball — a dance
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. can — to be able to
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. ball — a round shape

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