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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: suit · fall · fan · craft · calf · mine · content · rock

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. fall — the season
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. craft — boats
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. fall — to drop
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. content — the amount
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. content — happy

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