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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: fan · temple · bark · key · calf · chip · jam · fork

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. key — for a lock
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bark — to shout
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fork — in a road
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. key — in music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — for betting
  24. jam — in traffic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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