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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: rash · track · foot · wave · calf · mouse · leaves · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rash — hasty
  3. track — a path
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. track — a song
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. leaves — of a tree

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