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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: fine · bulb · cue · band · calf · nail · pitch · fall

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. fine — high quality
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fine — all right
  6. fall — the season
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. band — a music group
  11. cue — a hint
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. nail — on a finger

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