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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · calf · ball · wind · squash · board · mug · perch

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. board — a committee
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mug — to rob
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wind — moving air
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. board — to get on
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. coach — a trainer

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