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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: board · rock · calf · bear · present · wake · firm · sharp

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. present — a gift
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bear — the animal
  5. present — the time now
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. sharp — clever
  10. firm — steady
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. present — there
  14. rock — music
  15. firm — a company
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wake — a trail
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — decided
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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