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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. key — for a lock
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. squash — to crush
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. key — in music
  16. season — of the year
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cap — a lid
  21. squash — the sport
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cap — a hat
  24. board — to get on

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