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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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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: snap · bore · staff · fork · bay · calf · season · lean

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. season — in sport
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. staff — a stick
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fork — in a road
  9. snap — to click
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. staff — employees
  16. season — of the year
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lean — thin
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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