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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. board — to get on
  3. present — a gift
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. present — there
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stock — shares
  11. club — for dancing
  12. key — for a lock
  13. board — a committee
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — in cards
  17. stock — goods
  18. present — the time now
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  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