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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.

Make a worksheet

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: last · leaves · fine · cold · nail · plane · calf · perch

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. cold — an illness
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. last — finally
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. plane — a tool
  15. last — to go on
  16. perch — the fish
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cold — not warm
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. last — final
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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