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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: face · board · race · calf · jam · stock · nail · fork

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fork — in a road
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. race — a contest
  6. face — to point toward
  7. board — a committee
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — to get on
  14. face — part of the head
  15. race — humankind
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. face — to confront
  20. race — the arms race
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stock — shares
  24. jam — a tight spot

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