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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fall — to drop
  3. mate — a friend
  4. fall — to drop
  5. board — a committee
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. drill — army training
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. root — of a word
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fall — the season
  13. board — to get on
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — the cause

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