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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.

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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: fine · fan · hand · bay · object · calf · ball · lie

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fine — high quality
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. object — a thing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. object — to protest
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. hand — help
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lie — to recline
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — an aim

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