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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · calf · bark · nail · fall · spell

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. spell — a short time
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bark — to shout
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. fall — to drop
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spell — letters
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. spell — magic
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fall — the season

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