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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. perch — the fish
  3. board — a committee
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. swing — to play on
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. scale — in music
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. swing — music
  20. mine — for digging
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mark — to pay attention

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