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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: hand · tube · calf · track · row · hide

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. track — a path
  3. hand — in cards
  4. track — a song
  5. hand — help
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. row — to paddle
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. tube — a container
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tube — the underground

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