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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 120 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: calf · hand · cue · dip · charge · board · band · perch

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. cue — a hint
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. board — a committee
  8. band — a ring
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. dip — to sink
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — a price
  16. cue — for pool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cue — a signal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. board — to get on
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. band — a music group

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