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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.

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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: racket · ball · lean · calf · mate · nail · roll · rash

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. roll — a cake
  7. mate — to breed
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rash — a series
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rash — hasty
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lean — to bend
  21. mate — a friend
  22. roll — a list
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. nail — for a hammer

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