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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. board — to get on
  5. file — a tool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — to fit
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. file — a document
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spring — of water
  17. suit — in cards
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. file — a line of people
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. board — a committee

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