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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: wave · staff · calf · branch · net · lie · wake · board

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a committee
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. net — in sport
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. board — to get on
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. branch — a division
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. staff — a stick
  21. wake — a trail
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. branch — of a tree

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