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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. spring — of water
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pitch — completely
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bulb — for light
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — the fish
  12. hand — help
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. board — to get on
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. lean — thin
  18. spring — the season
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. board — a committee

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