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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: craft · mine · band · board · calf · cap · pass · spell

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. band — a music group
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — boats
  11. cap — a hat
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pass — a permit
  16. craft — a skill
  17. spell — letters
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cap — a lid
  20. spell — magic
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. band — a ring
  24. spell — a short time

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