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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · hand · coach · mine · stick · calf · racket · fan

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. hand — in cards
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. hand — help
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mine — for digging
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mine — an explosive

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