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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. board — a committee
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. saw — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. board — to get on
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mark — a trace
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. prune — to trim

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