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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. board — a committee
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kick — in football
  18. board — to get on
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mug — a face
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. game — a match

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