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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
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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: perch · mug · bass · spring · calf · drill · hide · nail

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spring — of water
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mug — to rob
  9. drill — a practice
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spring — a coil
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bass — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. drill — army training
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bass — low music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — a face
  24. drill — the tool

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