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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: dip · key · calf · bat · bulb · board · row · craft

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. board — a committee
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. key — for a lock
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. key — the most important part
  10. craft — a skill
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — to get on
  19. row — a line
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. craft — boats
  22. key — in music
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. dip — a sauce

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