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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: hand · calf · clip · stand · bay · board · deal · tube

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. board — a committee
  5. stand — to bear
  6. board — to get on
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. tube — a container
  9. deal — to handle
  10. clip — for paper
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. tube — the underground
  23. clip — a video
  24. deal — an agreement

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