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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.

Make a worksheet

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: nail · swing · calf · file · mouse · fan · spell · vault

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. swing — to play on
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. file — a tool
  10. spell — letters
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. file — a line of people
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. vault — a safe
  20. file — a document
  21. spell — magic
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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