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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. present — there
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. suit — clothes
  6. present — the time now
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — a committee
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. present — a gift
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — in cards
  18. suit — in cards
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. fan — to cool the air

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