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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: foot · last · ball · calf · mark · nail · straw · present

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. foot — a measure
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a trace
  10. last — to go on
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. ball — a dance
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. last — final
  19. present — the time now
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. present — there
  24. ball — a great time

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