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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: key · board · arm · squash · nail · straw · calf · wave

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a committee
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. key — the most important part
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. squash — to crush
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. nail — for a hammer

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