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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fall — to drop
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fall — the season
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. board — a committee
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rash — a series
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fall — to drop
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. shower — to wash
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. shower — rain
  24. vault — a safe

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