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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — there
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cap — of ice
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cap — a hat
  15. scale — size or range
  16. present — the time now
  17. board — to get on
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. present — a gift
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — magic
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. cap — a lid

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