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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 · saw · club · pitcher · leaves · jam · staff · bear

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. club — a group
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bear — the animal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. staff — employees
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. club — for golf
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. staff — a stick
  24. calf — of the leg

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