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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 120 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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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: stick · band · fork · pass · cap · plane · nail · calf

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cap — of ice
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cap — a lid
  10. band — a music group
  11. cap — a hat
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fork — in a road
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. band — a ring

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