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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · calf · nail · rush · board · cabinet · hand · row

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. board — a committee
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. board — to get on
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — help
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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