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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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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 · spring · club · saw · current · calf · jam · lean

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lean — thin
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. saw — the tool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. current — of water
  15. spring — the season
  16. club — for golf
  17. current — happening now
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. club — a group
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. spring — a coil
  24. current — electric

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