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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 · patient · tube · current · lean · saw · fork · can

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. can — a tin
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lean — thin
  11. current — electric
  12. can — to be able to
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fork — in a road
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tube — the underground
  19. current — happening now
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. saw — the tool
  23. current — of water
  24. tube — a container

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