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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 116 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 · root · ground · craft · calf · mate · lie · hand

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. craft — boats
  4. mate — to breed
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a partner
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. craft — a skill
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — the cause
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mate — a friend
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ground — a position
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ground — crushed
  20. hand — help
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hand — in cards
  23. root — of a plant
  24. ground — the earth

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