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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 116 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: calf · ball · fork · nail · tube · last · object · stand

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. object — to protest
  7. ball — a dance
  8. object — an aim
  9. stand — to bear
  10. tube — the underground
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ball — a great time
  13. tube — a container
  14. last — to go on
  15. object — a thing
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. last — final
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. fork — in a road
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. calf — a young animal

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