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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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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: cabinet · calf · land · club · board · arm · bore · pound

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. land — ground
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. land — to come down
  10. board — a committee
  11. land — a country
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. board — to get on
  15. club — for golf
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pound — a weight
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — to tire
  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