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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · ball · nail · stock · hide · calf · file · fan

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. file — a document
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. stock — shares
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stock — goods
  17. file — a line of people
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. file — a tool
  24. mine — belonging to me

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