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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 120 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: calf · straw · nail · scale · spell · ball · object · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — to protest
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. spell — a short time
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. spell — magic
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. spell — letters
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. straw — dry grass

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