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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fork · fan · lash · face · pitcher · key · calf · staff

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. face — part of the head
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. staff — employees
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. key — in music
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. key — the most important part
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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