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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. board — to get on
  4. pit — in a race
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fall — to drop
  7. row — a line
  8. fall — to drop
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. pit — a hole
  12. board — a committee
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stock — goods
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — the season
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stock — shares
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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