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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — boats
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cue — a signal
  10. kid — to tease
  11. cue — for pool
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. wake — a trail
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. kid — child
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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