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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: wave · craft · board · calf · squash · temple · last · rest

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rest — what's left
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. last — to go on
  10. board — to get on
  11. craft — a skill
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — boats
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. last — finally
  19. last — final
  20. squash — the sport
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. board — a committee
  23. rest — a break
  24. wave — with your hand

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