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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. club — for dancing
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. cap — of ice
  7. scale — in music
  8. club — a group
  9. shower — rain
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cap — a lid
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. club — for golf
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. object — to protest
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. shower — to wash
  20. scale — size or range
  21. snap — to click
  22. cap — a hat
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. calf — of the leg

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