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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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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: dip · cap · tube · deal · board · net · calf · trunk

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. net — in sport
  4. board — a committee
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. board — to get on
  8. tube — a container
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — a lid
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. net — for catching
  15. cap — a hat
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. net — after costs
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a car

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