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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.

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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: snap · stand · drill · dip · track · nail · court · calf

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stand — to bear
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. snap — to click
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. drill — the tool
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. track — a song
  12. court — of law
  13. track — to keep track
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. drill — army training
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. track — a path
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. drill — a practice
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. nail — for a hammer

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