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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — in cards
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pop — music
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. board — to get on
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. drill — army training
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. suit — clothes
  24. board — a committee

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