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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.

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: rock · board · hand · mouse · nail · wind · staff · bear

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hand — in cards
  5. board — to get on
  6. staff — employees
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. staff — employees
  14. hand — help
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rock — music
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bear — to put up with

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