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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: leaves · snap · calf · straw · rule · season · board · bulb

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bulb — for light
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. snap — to click
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. season — in sport
  19. bulb — for light
  20. season — of the year
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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