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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: nail · bulb · fan · stand · squash · tube · calf · rest

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rest — a break
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bulb — for light
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. squash — to crush
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. calf — a young animal

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