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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.

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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: hand · staff · prune · object · board · track · lie · calf

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. board — a committee
  4. hand — in cards
  5. prune — to trim
  6. track — a path
  7. object — an aim
  8. hand — help
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. track — a song
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. object — to protest
  14. lie — to recline
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. object — a thing
  20. prune — to trim
  21. staff — a stick
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lie — an untruth

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