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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bore — to tire
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. can — to be able to
  11. current — of water
  12. wind — moving air
  13. current — electric
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. craft — boats
  19. lean — to bend
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bore — to drill

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