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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. board — a committee
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. race — the arms race
  5. race — a contest
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pound — a weight
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. staff — employees
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. race — humankind
  22. board — to get on
  23. calf — of the leg
  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