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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. can — a tin
  6. kid — child
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — a tin
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. kid — to tease
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. can — to be able to
  24. board — a committee

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