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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — to get on
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. board — a committee
  14. band — a music group
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a ring
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. net — for catching
  22. foot — a measure
  23. net — after costs
  24. mate — to breed

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