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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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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mug — a cup
  7. suit — to fit
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — in cards
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. suit — clothes
  16. branch — a division
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wake — a trail
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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