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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cue — a hint
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rash — a series
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mate — to breed
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cue — a signal
  14. file — a document
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. rash — hasty
  18. file — a tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. file — a line of people
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — a partner
  24. safe — a strongbox

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