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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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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: wound · sharp · nail · bear · hide · calf

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal

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