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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. board — a committee
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. roll — a list
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. scale — in music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. roll — a cake
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bat — the animal

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