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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: mate · nail · dip · fan · fine · calf · can · arm

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mate — a partner
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fine — high quality
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. dip — to sink
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — all right

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