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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.

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: bear · fork · saw · staff · foot · temple · cabinet · fan

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bear — the animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — in a road
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. foot — a measure

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