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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · jam · hide · drill · chair · fine · calf · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. chair — a leader
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. drill — army training
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. drill — a practice
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. drill — the tool

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