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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: nail · mine · kid · object · bear · foot · calf · can

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mine — for digging
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. object — to protest
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. kid — to tease
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. object — an aim
  20. can — to be able to
  21. object — a thing
  22. kid — child
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bear — the animal

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