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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 · season · jam · current · land · bay · saw · bulb

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. current — happening now
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — of water
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. land — to come down
  8. current — electric
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — ground
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. season — in sport
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. season — of the year
  22. land — a country
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — a young animal

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