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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: fan · calf · content · saw · current · bore · jam · ball

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. content — the amount
  4. saw — the tool
  5. content — happy
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. current — of water
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. current — happening now
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ball — a dance
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. ball — a great time
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — electric
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bore — to tire
  24. ball — a round shape

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