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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: calf · can · foot · file · fall · toast · perch · nail

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. foot — a measure
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. file — a line of people
  11. perch — the fish
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. file — a document
  15. fall — the season
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. file — a tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. can — to be able to
  22. toast — bread
  23. can — a tin
  24. fall — to drop

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