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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 · object · cabinet · craft · calf · hand · bulb · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hand — in cards
  4. game — a match
  5. craft — a skill
  6. hand — help
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. object — a thing
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. craft — boats
  16. object — an aim
  17. board — a committee
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. object — to protest
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bulb — for light

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