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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. hand — help
  3. firm — a company
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. present — there
  6. wake — a trail
  7. deal — to handle
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. drill — the tool
  15. present — the time now
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. firm — steady
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. board — a committee
  21. drill — army training
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. present — a gift

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