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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: calf · lean · nail · cabinet · wave · spring · board · land

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. spring — the season
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lean — thin
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. land — to come down
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. land — a country
  18. board — a committee
  19. land — ground
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. spring — of water
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spring — a coil
  24. cabinet — ministers

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