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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.

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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 · temple · nail · suit · kid · object · stick · straw

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. object — a thing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — an aim
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. suit — to fit
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. suit — clothes
  14. kid — to tease
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. suit — in cards
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. object — to protest
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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