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

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — to fit
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — shares
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. last — to go on
  13. stock — goods
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. last — finally
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. drill — army training
  21. last — final
  22. drill — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. drill — a practice

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