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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. board — to get on
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. snap — to click
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. scale — in music
  12. board — a committee
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — tied together
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bound — obliged
  20. spell — letters
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bound — certain

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