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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: calf · saw · chip · board · jam · content · straw · fork

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. content — the amount
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fork — in a road
  16. saw — the tool
  17. content — happy
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. board — a committee
  24. fork — a garden tool

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