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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.

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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: stem · vault · calf · key · snap · bear · sharp · nail

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. snap — to click
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. vault — a safe
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. key — in music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. key — for a lock
  24. sharp — clever

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