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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.

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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: staff · calf · wax · file · dip · nail · hide · net

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. staff — employees
  3. file — a document
  4. staff — employees
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. net — in sport
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. file — a line of people
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. file — a tool
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. dip — to sink

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