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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: march · board · hand · calf · swing · foot · lie · bank

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bank — for money
  5. march — the month
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. march — the month
  8. board — to get on
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. swing — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. march — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bank — for money

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