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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. kid — to tease
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stand — to bear
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. current — of water
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pop — soda
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pop — music
  12. kid — child
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. current — electric
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — happening now

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