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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wake — a trail
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. cap — of ice
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. craft — boats
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cap — a hat
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chair — a leader
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cap — a lid
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. board — to get on
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lean — to rest against

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