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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: calf · dip · scale · cell · fan · nail · coach · jam

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. dip — to sink
  4. scale — size or range
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. scale — in music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — a phone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fan — a supporter

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