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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: calf · mine · nail · fine · can · row · pound · suit

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. mine — for digging
  4. fine — all right
  5. pound — a weight
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — in cards
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. row — to paddle
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pound — for dogs

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