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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fork · saw · staff · snap · fan · spring · content

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. spring — of water
  3. fork — in a road
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. spring — a coil
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. saw — the tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spring — the season
  14. staff — employees
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. snap — to click
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. saw — the tool
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. staff — a stick

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