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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · ball · leaves · calf · board · mug · cold · foot

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cold — not warm
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. foot — a measure
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. board — a committee
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cold — an illness
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. board — a flat piece

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