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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: calf · tube · cabinet · wake · kick · chest · fine · nail

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — a container
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fine — high quality
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. chest — a box
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. chest — of your body
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. fine — all right
  24. kick — in football

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