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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 · spell · pass · firm · calf · rule · fine · ground

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spell — magic
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. board — a committee
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ground — a position
  9. firm — decided
  10. rule — a law
  11. ground — the earth
  12. firm — a company
  13. fine — all right
  14. ground — crushed
  15. board — to get on
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. spell — letters
  18. rule — government
  19. firm — steady
  20. spell — a short time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. calf — a young 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