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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: stick · craft · hand · board · wave · calf · track · lash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. craft — boats
  4. board — a committee
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. hand — help
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hand — in cards
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. track — to keep track
  22. board — to get on
  23. lash — to lash out
  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