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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: racket · board · rush · lean · drill · hide · ball · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. lean — thin
  5. drill — the tool
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rush — hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a dance
  10. drill — a practice
  11. board — a committee
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. board — to get on
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ball — a great time
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lean — to bend
  24. hide — animal skin

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