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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. court — of a king
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mate — a friend
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — to breed
  11. firm — steady
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. drill — army training
  14. bat — the animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. ball — a dance
  19. court — of law
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mate — a partner
  22. court — for sport
  23. firm — a company
  24. calf — of the leg

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