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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: sharp · wake · fan · calf · firm · cap · staff · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. firm — decided
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. firm — a company
  15. staff — employees
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. firm — steady
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. sharp — exactly

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