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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: wound · suit · board · cue · tear · calf · temple · nail

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cue — a signal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cue — a hint
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. suit — in cards
  15. tear — to rip
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. suit — to fit

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