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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. march — the month
  3. board — a committee
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. march — the month
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. swing — music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. march — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. swing — to play on
  21. foot — a measure
  22. board — to get on
  23. swing — in golf
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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