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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: fan · bark · nail · calf · track · wave

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. track — to keep track
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — a song
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a path

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