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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: mark · last · fall · firm · stick · board · calf · court

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. last — to go on
  3. court — of law
  4. board — to get on
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. last — finally
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. board — a committee
  11. last — final
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fall — the season
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fall — to drop

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