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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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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: calf · mouse · deal · racket · board · hide · bay · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a music group
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. board — to get on
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. deal — to handle
  24. calf — a young animal

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