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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
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 · bay · arm · roll · band · calf · object · mate

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mate — a partner
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. object — an aim
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. band — a ring
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. object — a thing
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. roll — a list
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. roll — a cake
  18. object — to protest
  19. band — a music group
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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