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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 · club · fan · charge · object · rest · nail · rush

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. club — for dancing
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. charge — a price
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. club — for golf
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. charge — in control
  14. club — a group
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — electricity

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