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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 116 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: saw · mine · calf · bore · board · firm · staff · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. staff — employees
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. firm — steady
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — a company
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. board — to get on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. board — a committee
  20. saw — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mine — for digging
  23. firm — decided
  24. mine — belonging to me

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