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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. band — a music group
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bat — the animal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fork — in a road
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. snap — to click
  24. band — a ring

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