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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 116 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: calf · nail · cabinet · mug · wax · fine · hand · spell

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. hand — in cards
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hand — help
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mug — a cup
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. spell — letters
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. spell — magic
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. fine — all right
  24. mug — a face

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