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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · land · calf · bay · nail · deal · pit · ball

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pit — in a race
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. land — a country
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. land — to come down
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ball — a dance
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. land — ground

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