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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.

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: plane · object · calf · club · pitcher · board · wind · lash

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. club — a group
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. board — to get on
  21. object — to protest
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wind — moving air

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