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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · calf · clip · hand · tube · cabinet · board · stick

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a committee
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. toast — bread
  12. tube — a container
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — to cut
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. hand — help
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. clip — a video
  23. board — to get on
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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