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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 120 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. band — a music group
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. rock — music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — of water
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. current — happening now
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. staff — employees
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. band — a ring
  15. rock — a stone
  16. spring — of water
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. current — electric
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bark — to shout
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spring — the season

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