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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: pass · nail · season · calf · wound · game

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. game — wild animals
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. game — a match
  11. season — in sport
  12. wound — an injury
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. nail — on a finger

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