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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: nail · chest · rest · bass · craft · object · calf · stick

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. chest — a box
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. object — an aim
  13. rest — a break
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. object — to protest
  17. craft — a skill
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. craft — boats
  22. object — a thing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bass — low music

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