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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spring — the season
  3. sharp — clever
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. spring — a coil
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mug — a face
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. vault — a safe
  21. spring — of water
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mug — a cup

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