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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. suit — clothes
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. last — to go on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. current — of water
  16. swing — music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. swing — in golf
  19. last — final
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. swing — to play on
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. last — finally
  24. current — electric

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