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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: snap · drill · bulb · cabinet · toast · net · fan · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. drill — army training
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. toast — bread
  16. snap — to click
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. drill — the tool
  24. net — after costs

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