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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.

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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: board · foot · rash · calf · craft · bass · hand · deal

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. foot — a measure
  4. deal — to handle
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bass — low music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. rash — hasty
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. board — a committee
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. board — to get on
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. bass — the fish
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rash — a series
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bass — the instrument

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