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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 116 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: ruler · face · kid · nail · calf · saw · charge · cabinet

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. kid — to tease
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. face — to point toward
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. saw — the tool
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. kid — child
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — in control

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