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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. drill — army training
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. drill — the tool
  5. current — of water
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. hand — in cards
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — happening now
  13. cap — a lid
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. hand — help
  22. cap — of ice
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. coach — a trainer

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