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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  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. foot — the bottom
  2. staff — a stick
  3. march — the month
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. march — music
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. staff — employees
  12. land — ground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. march — the month
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. foot — a measure
  21. staff — employees
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. foot — part of the body
  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