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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: board · calf · toast · bark · nail · deal · lie · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lie — to recline
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bark — to shout
  9. toast — bread
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wound — an injury
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — to handle

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