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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: wake · board · calf · ruler · hide · pound

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wake — a trail
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — to get on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wake — before a funeral

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