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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
468
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: wake · saw · racket · calf · board · file · court · tube

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a tool
  8. tube — the underground
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. court — of law
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. court — for sport
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. court — of a king
  16. tube — a container
  17. board — to get on
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. board — a committee
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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