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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: calf · pop · cabinet · club · wind · fork

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wind — moving air
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pop — music
  17. club — for golf
  18. wind — moving air

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