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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. prune — to trim
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. degree — from a university
  6. current — happening now
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. degree — temperature
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. charge — in control
  11. prune — to trim
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. charge — a price
  19. current — electric
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. degree — an amount
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. charge — electricity
  24. prune — the fruit

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