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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. hand — help
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. spell — magic
  5. board — a committee
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. spell — a short time
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — to get on
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spell — letters
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bear — the animal
  23. hand — in cards
  24. wax — to grow

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