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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 water is too ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a ring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cold — an illness
  18. pitch — completely
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. band — a music group
  24. cold — the Cold War

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