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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. suit — clothes
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stock — goods
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. suit — to fit
  14. can — a tin
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stock — shares
  21. wound — an injury
  22. can — a tin
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wound — an injury

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