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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: nail · ball · calf · board · ruler · wind · last · stand

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. last — to go on
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wind — moving air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. board — to get on
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. last — finally
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. board — a committee
  16. last — final
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stand — to bear
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wind — moving air

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