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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. chest — a box
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. chest — of your body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. sharp — clever
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. vault — a safe
  19. rash — a series
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. chest — of your body
  23. board — to get on
  24. stand — for spectators

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