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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.

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: chest · board · game · lean · root · calf · jam · firm

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chest — a box
  4. firm — steady
  5. root — of a word
  6. lean — thin
  7. game — a match
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. firm — decided
  12. board — a committee
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chest — of your body
  15. game — wild animals
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. board — to get on
  19. chest — of your body
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. lean — to bend
  23. firm — a company
  24. game — a kind of play

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