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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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Word bank
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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: fork · chair · roll · mug · ground · snap · calf · board

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ground — crushed
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. snap — to click
  6. mug — to rob
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. roll — a cake
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ground — a position
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. roll — a list
  16. board — to get on
  17. mug — a cup
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mug — a face
  20. chair — a leader
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. chair — to sit on

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