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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.

Make a worksheet

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: key · present · spell · club · chair · nail · saw · calf

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. present — there
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — a gift
  6. club — for golf
  7. spell — letters
  8. key — in music
  9. club — a group
  10. key — for a lock
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spell — magic
  13. saw — the tool
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. club — for dancing
  18. spell — a short time
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. present — the time now
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. key — the most important part
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chair — a leader

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