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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
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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: calf · dip · wake · leaves · tear · ball · trunk · nail

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — to sink
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ball — a great time
  14. tear — from crying
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wake — a trail
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tear — from crying
  24. calf — a young animal

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