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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
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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: ball · cap · track · nail · row · calf · drill · chair

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chair — a leader
  4. cap — a hat
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. row — to paddle
  11. drill — the tool
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. row — a line
  19. drill — army training
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. cap — of ice
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cap — a lid

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