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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: jam · present · branch · saw · calf · wave · sharp · can

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. can — to be able to
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. can — a tin
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. present — a gift
  24. calf — of the leg

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