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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: hide · nail · calf · fork · wound · press · temple · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. craft — boats
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. wound — an injury
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. press — to push
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wound — an injury
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. press — a publisher
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fork — in a road
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. press — newspapers

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