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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 116 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: calf · rush · club · board · file · craft · dip · pound

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. craft — a skill
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. board — to get on
  6. club — for dancing
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pound — a weight
  11. club — for golf
  12. file — a tool
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. board — a committee
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. file — a document
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. club — a group
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rush — hurry

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