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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.

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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: foot · calf · board · rest · firm · rock · game · cell

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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. board — to get on
  2. rock — a stone
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. board — a committee
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. game — a match
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. firm — a company
  13. rest — a break
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. game — wild animals
  18. cell — a phone
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rest — what's left
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rock — music
  23. rest — what's left
  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