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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. board — to get on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. game — wild animals
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. row — a line
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. perch — the fish
  19. game — a match
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. board — a committee

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