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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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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: deal · stick · drill · calf · mouse · club · nail · season

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. season — of the year
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. club — a group
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. drill — army training
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. club — for dancing
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. deal — to handle
  15. drill — the tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. season — in sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. 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