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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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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: craft · calf · nail · kick · ruler · straw · race · fork

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — a contest
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. kick — in football
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. craft — boats
  19. fork — in a road
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. race — humankind
  23. craft — a skill
  24. kick — a thrill

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