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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: nail · pound · calf · firm · scale · patient · temple · bore

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. firm — a company
  7. scale — in music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bore — to drill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. firm — steady
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bore — to tire
  24. scale — size or range

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