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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: calf · board · deal · race · rock · stick

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. board — to get on
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. race — a contest
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. race — humankind
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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