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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: hand · bowl · nail · fan · charge · calf · lie · cap

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. charge — a price
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cap — of ice
  15. hand — help
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cap — a lid
  20. charge — in control
  21. hand — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. nail — for a hammer

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