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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. club — for golf
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. branch — a division
  17. board — to get on
  18. club — a group
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mine — for digging
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. club — for dancing

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