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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — to get on
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. board — a committee
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. track — a song
  12. field — farmland
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. field — a subject
  18. track — a path
  19. shower — to wash
  20. field — for sport
  21. track — to keep track
  22. shower — rain
  23. chip — to eat
  24. calf — a young animal

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