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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. wake — a trail
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rock — music
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — a committee
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. board — to get on
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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