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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: chip · calf · wind · fine · march · nail · jam · suit

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. march — music
  6. fine — all right
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chip — for betting
  11. fine — high quality
  12. suit — in cards
  13. chip — to eat
  14. suit — to fit
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wind — moving air
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. march — the month
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. march — the month

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