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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 120 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: bore · nail · calf · staff · row · safe · mouse · bat

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. row — a line
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. staff — employees
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. staff — a stick

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