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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 116 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. board — to get on
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mark — a grade
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. band — a ring
  14. mark — a trace
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. band — a music group
  23. ground — a position
  24. ruler — for measuring

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