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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mug — a face
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. board — a committee
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rock — music
  12. board — to get on
  13. rock — a stone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. mug — a cup
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — a measure

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