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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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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. tube — a container
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. tube — the underground
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. current — happening now
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. capital — a city
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. capital — money
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. roll — a list
  18. lash — an eyelash

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