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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. board — to get on
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. last — final
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. board — a committee
  21. stand — to bear
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. stand — for spectators

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