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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 120 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: nail · spring · fork · bay · bear · calf · board · degree

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spring — of water
  3. fork — in a road
  4. degree — temperature
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. degree — an amount
  16. board — a committee
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. degree — from a university
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. spring — a coil
  24. spring — the season

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