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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bowl · arm · nail · object · calf · lie · racket

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. object — an aim
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. object — a thing
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — to protest

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