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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 · nail · calf · bowl · coach · chest · fork · lie

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. chest — of your body
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fork — in a road
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chest — of your body
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. lie — to recline
  22. chest — a box
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. nail — for a hammer

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