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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. board — a committee
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — to get on
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. deal — to handle
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mate — a partner
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. jam — in traffic
  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