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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. board — a committee
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. hand — help
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bark — to shout
  14. board — to get on
  15. lie — to recline
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. stand — to bear

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