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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.

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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: calf · arm · lean · bank · bass · stock · board · hand

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. hand — help
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — to get on
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — a committee
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. stock — shares
  18. bass — low music
  19. stock — goods
  20. bank — for money
  21. lean — to bend
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. lean — thin

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