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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 120 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
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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: bear · current · sharp · bore · staff · calf · net · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — of water
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bear — the animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. net — after costs
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. net — for catching
  16. current — electric
  17. bore — to tire
  18. net — in sport
  19. sharp — clever
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. current — happening now

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