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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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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: straw · nail · board · current · bay · rock · ball · calf

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ball — a great time
  3. current — of water
  4. rock — a stone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. current — happening now
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. current — electric
  22. board — to get on
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. straw — a straw man

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