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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: rash · calf · bear · bound · board · object · game · root

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bound — certain
  4. object — a thing
  5. bear — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. root — the cause
  10. object — an aim
  11. root — of a plant
  12. board — a committee
  13. rash — a series
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. root — of a word
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the 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