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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: lie · wind · calf · stick · board · rule

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. board — a committee
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — government
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rule — a law

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