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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. face — to point toward
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. face — part of the head
  14. board — to get on
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. wind — moving air
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mine — for digging
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a committee
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. face — to confront

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