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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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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: deal · cell · calf · board · cabinet · stem

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — a phone
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. board — to get on
  12. deal — to handle
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cell — in biology

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