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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. prune — to trim
  4. board — to get on
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chair — a leader
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. hand — help
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hand — in cards
  24. mouse — the 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