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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.

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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: firm · bank · cap · board · calf · nail · craft · row

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. row — a line
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bank — for money
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. firm — steady
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — boats
  14. firm — a company
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a lid
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. board — to get on
  20. firm — decided
  21. bank — of a river
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cap — of ice

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