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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. present — a gift
  4. spell — magic
  5. suit — to fit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. key — for a lock
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bass — low music
  10. board — to get on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. key — the most important part
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. present — the time now
  15. bass — the fish
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — in cards
  18. present — there
  19. key — in music
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. board — a flat piece

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