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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bulb — for light
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — of water
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. content — happy
  9. rock — a stone
  10. net — for catching
  11. wound — an injury
  12. net — after costs
  13. current — electric
  14. rock — music
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. content — the amount
  19. net — in sport
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fan — a supporter

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