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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.

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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: spring · object · calf · present · hide · pound · perch · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — a gift
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. spring — a coil
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. object — an aim
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. object — a thing
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spring — of water
  18. present — there
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. spring — the season
  21. object — to protest
  22. pound — a weight
  23. present — the time now
  24. calf — a young 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