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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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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: band · cabinet · calf · spell · nail · fork · track · fan

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. band — a music group
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. spell — letters
  5. track — a path
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. spell — a short time
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spell — magic
  24. track — a song

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