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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 120 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: net · fall · nail · capital · ball · calf · stick · object

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — an aim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — after costs
  5. capital — a city
  6. object — to protest
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. net — in sport
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. ball — a dance
  17. object — a thing
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. net — for catching
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. capital — money

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