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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — to get on
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. race — a contest
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. suit — clothes
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. deal — to handle
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. race — the arms race
  19. board — a committee
  20. rush — hurry
  21. race — humankind
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. foot — a measure

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