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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.

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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: nail · squash · calf · safe · fall · lie · net · sharp

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. fall — the season
  7. net — in sport
  8. sharp — clever
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. net — for catching
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fall — to drop
  19. net — after costs
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the vegetable

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