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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: calf · stem · board · nail · swing · can · face · drill

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — a committee
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. drill — army training
  6. swing — in golf
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. swing — music
  9. face — to point toward
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — to be able to
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — to come from
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. can — a tin
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. drill — a practice

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