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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: stand · sharp · calf · nail · plane · object · kid · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. 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. staff — a stick
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kid — to tease
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. sharp — clever
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. kid — child
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. staff — employees
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. object — to protest
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. object — an aim
  20. staff — employees
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — a thing
  24. 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