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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 120 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
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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: calf · leaves · fork · charge · nail · hide · field · sharp

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. field — for sport
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. field — a subject
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. charge — electricity
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — in control
  21. field — farmland
  22. charge — a price
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. leaves — to go away

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