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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · charge · drill · date · cabinet · calf · lie · cold

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. charge — in control
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cold — not warm
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cold — an illness
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. drill — army training
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. charge — electricity
  20. drill — a practice
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. charge — a price
  23. date — the fruit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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