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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: bark · club · board · rest · cabinet · spell · ball · calf

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. board — a committee
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spell — magic
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bark — to shout
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — to get on
  13. rest — a break
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — for golf
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rest — what's left
  21. club — a group
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spell — letters
  24. club — for dancing

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