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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: jam · rock · lash · fork · calf · bear · rest · file

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. file — a document
  8. rest — what's left
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bear — the animal
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rest — a break
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rock — music
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lash — to lash out

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