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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. file — a line of people
  4. board — a committee
  5. file — a document
  6. drill — the tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. content — the amount
  12. foot — a measure
  13. board — to get on
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. drill — army training
  16. face — to confront
  17. file — a tool
  18. content — happy
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cap — a hat
  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