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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: calf · snap · capital · wave · file · board · dip · bowl

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. board — to get on
  4. capital — money
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. dip — to sink
  14. snap — to click
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. board — a committee
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. capital — a city
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. file — a tool
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. file — a line of people
  24. calf — a young animal

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