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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: cell · ball · nail · degree · bore · club · plane · calf

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. plane — a tool
  4. club — for dancing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bore — to drill
  9. club — for golf
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cell — in biology
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bore — to tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. degree — from a university
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cell — a phone
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. club — a group
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. cell — in a prison

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