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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: calf · cold · stand · roll · charge · fan · lean · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. cold — not warm
  3. charge — in control
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. roll — a list
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lean — to bend
  12. cold — an illness
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lean — thin
  20. charge — electricity
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. charge — a price
  24. fan — a supporter

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